These people so keen to string Cuddles up... Youve met him and spoken to him ?? or just plain ignorant and needlessly judgmental ?

I'm really happy that Josh Mahoney is staying on.

I'm not sure how many people heard him on ABC radio last Sunday arvo.

He was in the studio where he did a lengthy interview talking about our list. He, David Parkin and Gerard Whateley (?) reviewed the lists of all the clubs that missed the finals.

I thought he was very impressive and that it would be a shame if he was lost in a 'clean-out'.

I was listening to that program at work but had to take a siesta just about the time the Demons list was coming up for discussion.

I heard pretty much everyone's except the most important... ours lol.

Can you update me on what was said regarding what they felt we needed please?

I think youre getting very close to the gist of the reality here. I have the notion that having tested some waters the Club senses there is much out there to be had that might benefot thi sclub but for the want of a gifted orator and salesman. Cue. Chris Connolly.

Here's a bloke who I half suspect has a Dees Doona and wear red and blue p-j's . He makes the word passionate seem inept and insufffiicient. Call him what you like but he is Melbourne through and through and his love and belief in our club is bountiful and beyond reproach.

Good luck Cuddles

Agree totally. I really have no idea of the club politics, or what dramas have involved CC. But, he is 110% committed to the MFC. He has always been a great spruiker for the club. So, if he can have a full time role using his strengths for the benefit of the club, then that is surely a win-win for the club and CC. Very happy about this.

Edited September 21, 201113 yr by Vagg

Agree totally. I really have no idea of the club politics, or what dramas have involved CC. But, he is 110% committed to the MFC. He has always been a great spruiker for the club. So, if he can have a full time role using his strengths for the benefit of the club, then that is surely a win-win for the club and CC. Very happy about this.

Would have thought that Chris would be an asset in membership, marketing, foundation, functions etc. He is a qualified Phys Ed teacher as well so involvement in schools trying to sell the MFC brand to unaligned kids would also be a plus. I could also imagine any sponsorship proposal that has him selling the club while the others concentrate on the financial aspect is an improved pitch. He has done a lot for us and hopefully he is in an area where he can again make a difference.

These people so keen to string Cuddles up... Youve met him and spoken to him ?? or just plain ignorant and needlessly judgmental ?

I'm plain ignorant and non judgemental as most of us here should be. I suspect most of us have zero insight as to him doing a good,bad or indifferent job. - therefore we have no choice but to take the stance " the club knows what it is doing".

The same goes, IMHO, on assistant coaches - lets wallop Royal as we cant get the ball out of our backline but should we be walloping the midfield coach as the midfielders are static and not offering any options for the backmen to kick to. Lets [censored] our forward coach but how does the ball come into the forward line from midfield ? is it the ruck coaches fault that we dont get clearances or the midfield coach because the midfield is not in right places ?

We have little insight as to what the overall game plan was. In fact the game plan may be ok but there is massive disconnect between plan and execution.

We are all quick to judge with so little information.

According to the Age:

http://www.theage.co...0920-1kjlc.html

"DAYS after appointing a new senior coach, Melbourne has cleaned out its football department, moving football boss Chris Connolly out of the department altogether, and parting ways with two assistant coaches and the fitness adviser.

Connolly has moved out of the football offices at AAMI Park and into the club's administration at the MCG across the road, as part of his shift from general manager of football into a commercial role of helping to ''grow the club''."

Fantastic, too good a person & Footy Identity to lose from the Club.

I'm glad Chris is migrating towards his natural strengths. He's a Great Demon.

I'm plain ignorant and non judgemental as most of us here should be. I suspect most of us have zero insight as to him doing a good,bad or indifferent job. - therefore we have no choice but to take the stance " the club knows what it is doing".

The same goes, IMHO, on assistant coaches - lets wallop Royal as we cant get the ball out of our backline but should we be walloping the midfield coach as the midfielders are static and not offering any options for the backmen to kick to. Lets [censored] our forward coach but how does the ball come into the forward line from midfield ? is it the ruck coaches fault that we dont get clearances or the midfield coach because the midfield is not in right places ?

We have little insight as to what the overall game plan was. In fact the game plan may be ok but there is massive disconnect between plan and execution.

We are all quick to judge with so little information.

You put up a very good case bean for walloping ALL the assistant coaches

Seems the club agrees with you

You put up a very good case bean for walloping ALL the assistant coaches

Seems the club agrees with you

Actually the buck starts and stops with the head coach as there is that much overlap that not one of the coaches can work in isolation

Actually the buck starts and stops with the head coach as there is that much overlap that not one of the coaches can work in isolation

Too simplistic, but a good dose of truth in it

However the whole FD seemed to me to be dysfunctional regardless of who was most to blame, so an extensive clean-out of both Coach and Assistants seems to be the prudent way to go.

What I like about Neeld is he seems to be a strong personality who will throw his weight about (or so I hear) judiciously. Time will tell...............

Too simplistic, but a good dose of truth in it

However the whole FD seemed to me to be dysfunctional regardless of who was most to blame, so an extensive clean-out of both Coach and Assistants seems to be the prudent way to go.

What I like about Neeld is he seems to be a strong personality who will throw his weight about (or so I hear) judiciously. Time will tell...............

Yeah I have gathered that from his words too.

He also seems to have a bit of arrogance to him.

Which, I believe, you have to have if you are the bloke that has to take responsibility for the actions of a 'Department' of people.

However the whole FD seemed to me to be dysfunctional regardless of who was most to blame

Yes - and perhaps in the light of recent events and what is now being said (e.g., Schwab's comment about giving the (incoming) coach what he needs, and not trying to fit round pegs in square holes), there's room here for a thread looking at just what has been going on with the FD. We can probably all mostly agree on the players and their failings, but it also seems increasingly clear that neither Bailey nor the players were given the support staff (from coaches to conditioning) that they needed - and deserved.

Not excusing anyone, but it does seem that the blame for a miserable 2011 should perhaps be more widely distributed than it has been up until now.

Finally, the elephant in the room here for me is Jimmy - who has been somewhat non-present for reasons we all understand and respect. Perhaps the temporary lack of someone at the top with real football experience, not to mention the absence of someone with football experience to act as a conduit between the club (especially the FD) and the board and admin, is what has left us scoring runs off the field (sponsorship and finance), but not on it.

Yeah I have gathered that from his words too.

He also seems to have a bit of arrogance to him.

Which, I believe, you have to have if you are the bloke that has to take responsibility for the actions of a 'Department' of people.

Are you talking about me or Mark Neeld ?

Too simplistic, but a good dose of truth in it

I've said this a million times but if I was kicking out from Full back last year I would feel sick seeing 15 concrete statues wearing the Melbourne jumper.

If your team-mates are not prepared to work hard to create options for you - it wouldnt matter if Scarlett, Silvagni, or Bob Murray were kicking out..

I've said this a million times but if I was kicking out from Full back last year I would feel sick seeing 15 concrete statues wearing the Melbourne jumper.

If your team-mates are not prepared to work hard to create options for you - it wouldnt matter if Scarlett, Silvagni, or Bob Murray were kicking out..

You won't get any argument from me on concrete statues on kick outs, bean

Funny then when its in the forward 5o players running to all the most ridiculous positions yelling me me

What does this tell us? lack of discipline and respect for coaches instructions. Why? Now thats a harder question

You won't get any argument from me on concrete statues on kick outs, bean

Funny then when its in the forward 5o players running to all the most ridiculous positions yelling me me

What does this tell us? lack of discipline and respect for coaches instructions. Why? Now thats a harder question

And a problem that I hope that Neeld will be able to solve.

The footy shows ( AFL360, AFL insider), constantly show the likes of Swan and Goodes busting a gut to get from contest to contest and provide options.

IMHO we have one only last year who constantly did this - Jones. Actually we had another who did this a bit too - Bartram - but I got the shakes everytime he had ball in hand.

Lack of discipline ? ...yup...no respect for coaches instruction ? yup...and a fair degree of laziness and desire to work hard and present over and over again.

And a problem that I hope that Neeld will be able to solve.

The footy shows ( AFL360, AFL insider), constantly show the likes of Swan and Goodes busting a gut to get from contest to contest and provide options.

IMHO we have one only last year who constantly did this - Jones. Actually we had another who did this a bit too - Bartram - but I got the shakes everytime he had ball in hand.

Lack of discipline ? ...yup...no respect for coaches instruction ? yup...and a fair degree of laziness and desire to work hard and present over and over again.

There is so much that Caoch Neeld can work on...Probably why he was so keen & straight down the line at his interview.

It's not that hard to change a group attitude if you can explain it well & know how to implement it with simple instructions.

Edited September 21, 201113 yr by why you little

CS and CC are the brains behind our off-field revival and the only amateurish and divisive thing to happen last year was Bailey and his leaking to the press .It backfired big time .

If the rest of the comp thinks we are divided because of a cheap shot by Caro Wilson ,John Ralph or some other hack ,let them think that .United we stand.

Mick and Eddy and Bucks? Not so sure .

The players that thought they might get rid of CS have about 25 years of studying Machiavelli to catch up to him .

i would like to see them named and marched .

Happy that Connolly and Schwab can now focus on their strengths and any appearance of disunity and interference should be wiped out.

Josh Mahoney has a key job now. It's not actually that important a position, but one that if abused (or seen to be abused) can create big problems. The good clubs have good football managers who are well respected, the ones down the bottom have football managers who are seen as meddlers or as Grant Thomas refers to them as lap dogs.

Does anyone know how much the CC shift and the other recent FD changes are consistent / inconsistent with the review done at the start of the year (dont even recall it's name)?

I'm not a conspiracy theorist - just curious.

I've said this a million times but if I was kicking out from Full back last year I would feel sick seeing 15 concrete statues wearing the Melbourne jumper.

If your team-mates are not prepared to work hard to create options for you - it wouldnt matter if Scarlett, Silvagni, or Bob Murray were kicking out..

.............. or even Johnny Beckwith.

CS and CC are the brains behind our off-field revival and the only amateurish and divisive thing to happen last year was Bailey and his leaking to the press .It backfired big time .

Say what?

Didn't realise Bailey was doing this.

But I don't have such a vivid imagination.

Or re-imagination...

I wonder if Garry Lyon sold Schwab's desk, and the buyer didn't want all the papers at the bottom of it, so Garry perused through them before destroying them...

Connolly should not put his hand up for one cent.A final good deed,a selfless deed he never seemed to do in his commission at Melbourne.

“Along with Jim Stynes, Chris Connolly's contribution to ensuring the future of this football club over the past four years is second to none,” Lyon said.

Above quote taken from an article on MFC website. Apparently Garry doesn't share your view of Chris's contribution.

Does anyone know how much the CC shift and the other recent FD changes are consistent / inconsistent with the review done at the start of the year (dont even recall it's name)?

I'm not a conspiracy theorist - just curious.

The name of the report was - Andrews report.

We will have to ask about it at the AGM

good idea imo